


A Cat named Phoenix

by lyonessheart



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Animagus Harry Potter, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Caring Draco, Cat Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy in the Muggle World, Feelings, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 09:02:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11802837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyonessheart/pseuds/lyonessheart
Summary: Draco always wanted to own a cat and now he has one. But it is a very special specimen.





	A Cat named Phoenix

It is cold, bitterly so - and he realizes with a startling clarity that he will never make it through the city, to the hospital.  
He doesn't feel his injuries anymore, blood loss making him dizzy. Pure will has pushed him this far, but now he is at his end. His wand lost as well as the emergency port key that he should always carry. His magical reserves almost completely depleted, so that Apparition is completely out of the question. He trudges on as long as he can, but there is nothing left.  
He curses the fact that he will probably die alone, out on the cold streets of London. He would have liked to say goodbye to so many and just hopes that he will be found soon. He doesn't want his friends to worry too long.  
He is unconscious when he hits the ground. Nobody is around to see the flash that turns the crumpled form of a man into a much smaller form, huddled in the thick folds of the bloodied uniform.  
And nobody sees when the tired young man who lives behind the dark curtains, comes home and stumbles upon the bundle upon his doorstep, with its precious content.  
He picks him up and carefully takes him inside, into the sparse warmth of his home. But the injured creature feels the gentle heartbeat against his body and burrows closer. The softly spoken words resounding in his ears  
"Don't worry, you are safe with me."  
Then he gives himself fully over to the darkness and the soft hands of his saviour.

 

***

  
Today was horribly busy. The flow of customers didn't let up for the entire day, and when I wasn't making coffee I had to be in the kitchen and check on the scones or cupcakes. I wish Tara had not taken an entire week off, but then again, she has to take a holiday sometimes, and I don't want to nag too much, lest she starts looking elsewhere. Without her, it would be nearly impossible to get all of the work done. Still, I desperately need to do the books, and the thought of sitting for at least another couple hours over the documents and receipts, before I have to get up early again is daunting.  
The roads are quiet and it is bittercold, snow is in the air. I am glad that the flat that I live in has an automatic heating system, otherwise, I would freeze for another two hours at least. When I think how difficult it was in the beginning, figuring out how to deal with not doing magic all of the time. The house looms ahead and I see that my neighbour is still up the lights are still on and her shadow moves through the living room, Vicky works too hard. Tomorrow she will need another extra strength coffee.  
I pull the coat a little tighter and speed up my steps when the snow starts falling, it is beautiful but I cannot linger long, when my clothes get wet they will take ages to dry and I can't afford to crank up the heat too much. My entrance is near when I see that some idiot dropped his old clothes on the doorstep as if there are not enough possibilities to dispose of trash.  
It is only when I stand directly in front of my door looking down on the bundle of rags, that I realize two things. The fabric is dripping with blood, and something is moving inside of the pile. I pull the cloth apart gently, half afraid of what I will find. But then I touch soft fur and I can't believe my eyes. There is a small shivering kitten in those rags, pity fills me and before I can really think about the consequences of what I am doing, I pick the poor thing up. Cradling it close to my chest, it gives a feeble meow burrowing closer to my body's warmth and I find myself talking to it on impulse.  
"Don't worry you are safe with me."  
The little guy goes completely limp in my arms and I dare to cast the first healing spells at him. But I am nervous, my magic is not as strong as it used to be, healing has never been my forte and I can't afford to make a mistake. So I check the success of my spells and they have helped only a little. I have to ask Vicky for assistance and walk up the stairs, careful not to jostle my precious cargo, urgently knocking on the door.  
"Do you know how bloody late it is, you inconsiderate arse! Are you out of your mind!" Vicky is magnificent in her anger, but it blows away the moment that she realizes that I am not up because I want to chat. "Draco, oh I am so sorry, I thought my Ex was trying to crash here again."  
"No Vic, I need help." I try not to jostle the kitten in my arm too much as I push past her. "This little guy is badly hurt, can you patch him up so that he gets through the night? Tomorrow I can take him to the clinic, I know it is late and you are busy but please?" I must sound desperate, and wouldn't some people be surprised to hear me beg for help, not for myself but someone else.  
"Where did you find the little guy? And what happened to him?" Vicky switches immediately to a professional mode and leads me to the kitchen where the light is brighter, and she has enough space. She places a sterile cloth over the table and I gently place the cat in the middle of the table.  
"Someone dropped him on the doorsteps, looks like he has quite a lot of cuts, the fur was matted with blood, maybe a broken bone, but I am not sure. I couldn't leave him out to freeze!"  
She gently checks the tiny body and gives me a relieved smile after a while. "Well, some of the cuts are already healing. I am going to shave the fur give him the stitches he needs and bandage him up. There are no broken bones as far as I can see. But we need to make sure he doesn't get infections."  
I flinch when she begins to shave the poor little guy, in his place I would be so embarrassed, but then again he is probably in pain and could care less about his appearance.  
 I am a little baffled though, as I thought to have felt a broken hind leg, but I am glad to have erred. She works quickly and efficiently, and soon he is all patched up and wrapped in bandages. Only his head has gotten away from the shaving.  
"What are you going to call him?" Vicky addresses me, covering a yawn.  
"Phoenix"  Even though he is entirely black as far as I can see, this little guy will have to rise like a phoenix from the ashes.  
"Not Blacky?" She is baffled, but I am adamant.  
"No, he is a Phoenix, a fighter. At least I believe he is." I look him over and decide to keep him until I can figure out if someone is missing him. "Thank you for your help. I need to head to bed, can I take him with me?"  
"Yes, just be careful that he doesn't rip the bandages off. I don't have a cone small enough."  
"Ok, he can sleep on me tonight, and then I take him to work." I gently lift him up and he meows in protest but settles against me quickly enough.  
"I'll check on the patient tomorrow."  
"Good night Vic," I slowly walk downstairs, careful not to jostle him too much, and forgo the shower in favour of my bed. Father would roll in his grave at the thought of me going to bed without a shower, but he doesn't know and I have to get up in four hours. Phoenix is settled on my chest and his soft purrs lul me to sleep.  
  


***

 

Warmth, perfect warmth is the first thing that filters into his consciousness. But also a sense of wrongness, his body seems strange. When he blinks his eyes focus on skin, has he gone home with someone? But slowly his memories trickle back, he has been injured and the pain that hits him like a freight train, causes him to moan loudly. But it is not his own voice that he hears, but a soft meow. His eyes focus on his own tiny body and the fact that he is covered in bandaged, down to his paws.  
"Hey, little one." A smooth voice reaches his twitching ears, and a hand pets him, drawing an unwilling purr from him. When he turns to look at his host, he nearly shrieks with surprise, but it comes out as a mix between a chirp and meow. "Good morning, I hope you are not in too much pain. Vic said that I can give you a little pain medication with the food. I have some mince meat in the fridge" the hand continues the gentle ministrations. He looks at his host completely baffled his brain still refusing to comprehend what he is seeing. The man whose chest he has used a pillow now rises and pads slowly to the kitchen where he places a soft pillow on the floor, setting him down and he feels the loss of warmth acutely. But he is too weak to protest. It seems in no time that he sees a plate of food in front of him, but he cannot eat. Moving is too painful and he mourns the opportunity he is given.  
"Oh, you can't eat like this, can you?" He feels himself be picked up and settled onto a lap completely with the pillow. And then he finds food placed directly in his mouth, chewing and swallowing his hard, but possible and he realizes the second that the medication kicks in. He can move a little better but continues to take food from the hand that offers it. Only when he feels like he cannot eat one more bite he gently bumps the fingers that offer more food, before settling back down. He would be embarrassed, but he has not enough energy to care. He drifts back off to sleep, but before he sleeps he feels another gentle pat and the words.  
"I'll get you back in shape, Phoenix."  
He likes the name, even though Draco Malfoy has given it to him.

  
  
***

  
  
I get woken by a soft mewling sound. My mind is still a bit muddled but then something squirms on my chest and I realize that my guest is awake. Relief floods me, and I crack my eyes open. My fingers softly pet his head, as that is the only place not wrapped in bandages and I am surprised to see that my kitten has green eyes. For a second my mind flits back to a man from my past with intense green eyes and I wonder what has happened to him. I guess by now he is happily married and has a couple children. My heart aches a little, but I have left the past behind, and dwelling on old wishes doesn't help me.  
"Good morning, I hope you are not in too much pain. Vic said that I can give you a little pain-medication with the food. I have some mince meat in the fridge"  I know that my new pet probably doesn't understand a word that I say, but it is nice not to be completely alone. I put him down on a soft pillow while I prepare the food, and mix in some of the medicine. I place the plate in front of him and put some toast in the toaster when I hear a sad meow. Turning around I see the predicament. The bandages and probably pain keep the little one from moving so that he can eat, and he is clearly hungry as he looks longingly at the morsels just out of his reach.  
I am an idiot, I scold myself  "Oh, you can't eat like this, can you?"  But I can help this easily enough, picking the pillow and plate up settling it onto my lap completely. I hand him tiny pieces of meat and it is oddly satisfying to feel the tiny teeth take the offered morsels gently. Slowly he grows more confident and the pain seems to recede. After a while he bumps my fingers away, indicating that he has eaten his fill and settles back down for more rest.  
Nibbling on my toast I find myself talking to him again "I'll get you back in shape, Phoenix.", sleepily he blinks at me as if he approves of the name. Soon the steady rise and fall of his chest indicate that he sleeps soundly.  
I get ready for my day, thinking about the logistics. It doesn't help I have to try and transfigure a loo for a cat and find a way, to take him with me to the cafe. I can't leave him here alone, the poor little thing.  
Getting dressed, and transfiguring a sling for my little addon is done quite quickly. And if there is a little spring in my step, well I am strangely excited about the day ahead.  
Phoenix is fast asleep in the sling when I walk briskly towards my workplace. Settling Phoenix into a little basket behind the counter I whip up the first batch of scones and cookies, before preparing for the morning crowd.  
When the customers come, I work with a smile and a tune on my lips. And when I turn around two hours later, I see that Phoenix has emptied his bowl of water and is watching me avidly.

  
***

  
He must have slept for quite some time because when he comes to again, he is in a different place. It seems to be a cafe of sorts. He has to raise his head a little to see beyond the lining of the soft basket that seems to be his new home for the foreseeable future. His body tells him quite clearly that changing back is not an option, so he will have to wait it out and trust that Draco will not hurt an innocent little kitten. But from what he noticed yesterday, the former Deatheater seems to be quite gentle with small and fuzzy little things. Who would have thought? But then again how would he know, when they were in school the creatures they had learned about, had neither been small nor fuzzy. And even though a kneazle would have been possible, most of them had owned owls, and the thought of Draco Malfoy owning anything but a majestic eagle owl just didn't fit. But from the way he had held him last night, hadn't hesitated to take an injured, helpless animal home with him, he had some serious thinking to do.  
The basket he lays in contains a soft blanket and just inside is a little bowl of fresh water. The basket is lower on one side so he can look outside, and Draco has placed it on top of a little step ladder, so that he doesn't have to look at the floor, but instead has a perfect overview of the store, Draco is moving behind the counter with ease, he seems to be right at home there and the smell that comes from the oven is divine. He sniffs gently and mewls contently. Here in the safe space of his mind, he can admit that his saviour has matured quite a bit, if not to say he has grown to be bloody attractive. Long legs are encased in dark blue jeans which accentuate a spectacular arse, his feet are in comfortable black slip-ons and his upper body is covered in a soft grey sweater, covered with a dark grey apron, he cannot see if there is anything written on it. Draco seems to be at home in these surroundings when he takes the soft humming and the quick smiles he has for his customers. Coffee after coffee goes over the counter and Draco never loses his patience. He has no idea how long he is watching the enigma that Draco Malfoy is to him, but after a while, he turns to check on his pet. He seems happy to see him awake and comes over quickly, to check that his bowl is filled, and scratches his head softly.  
"I hope you don't get bored here, but you can't move around too much until the stitches have healed. Can you meow for me when you need something?"  
Somehow his heart sings at the sight of Draco, and he can't quite wrap his head around it.

  
***

  
I am exhausted when Vicky comes in, I have been on my feet for close to six hours already and the cafe is quiet, apart from a regular student who works on one of the tables in the corner. The morning crowd has come and passed, but Lunch has been busy as well. I am just about to have my own five-minute break and a sandwich when she steps in.  
"Your usual?" I ask with a smile, but my tiredness must shine through because she shakes her head.  
"Let me see the little patient and eat your sandwich. Otherwise, you will lose weight until Tara comes back, and then she will nag me."  
I know better than to argue with her, she is in a sense like Pansy when she is concerned for my health and I suddenly experience a hard bout of homesickness. I turn away so that she cannot see my face, but Phoenix is looking at me as if he understands what is going on. He growls at Vicky and swipes a paw at her hand, and I find that I have to step in.  
"Hey, none of that you little menace. Vicky just wants to help! And she is a good friend, so no scratching!" I gently scold the little cat. His green eyes seem to look right into my soul, and he seems to find that he can trust me. When Vicky reaches out again, he doesn't try to scratch her, but his ears show that he is not happy with her. She gently checks him over and smiles.  
"It looks good Dray. No infections to see."  
I am relieved and make her, the coffee that she usually drinks when she tries to pay for it, I decline. "You can stay and keep me company while I eat." I set Phoenix on my lap again, since he has meowed plaintively at being left out. I eat and feed him little scraps of my ham, while she sips the coffee.  
"You know, Draco you make the best coffee in the neighbourhood."  
"Stop flattering me, Vic. You get coffee for free more often than not."  
"And I appreciate it." She lounges in the chair and watches me avidly. "Did you have a cat as a child?"  
I am thinking back to my childhood and I can't quite contain my sadness, "No, my father would not allow it. It wasn't dignified enough, you know just like being gay."  
"If your father wasn't dead already, sometimes I would happily kill him for you." She states it so bluntly that I can't even choke back a surprised laugh.  
"You are a wonderful friend you know Vicky?" my smile is genuine and the love that shines from her eyes, makes it ok to be away from my world. I miss it, but I can cope well enough.  
"Yeah well, takes one to know one. Take care Draco, and don't work too hard!" She reaches out to pet Phoenix and after a short moment, he bunts his head gently against her fingers and mews softly. Seems like he is ok with her now.

  
  
***

  
Draco works hard, but he seems to like his job well enough. It is not what he would have expected for the missing Malfoy heir, but watching him move about, serving coffees, refilling the scones and muffins, as well as serving soup and sandwiches to the lunch-crowd, he seems to be at home. It takes almost six hours before there is a lull in the flow of customers, but before Draco can take a bite out of his own sandwich, the doorbell rings again and a young woman steps inside. She is very pretty with dark straight hair and Asian facial features. Draco must know her well since he greets her with a congenial:  
"Your usual?" He makes to get up, but she declines. He cannot understand what exactly she says to Draco, but it must be hurtful to him since he turns away and there is a raw pain in his face.  That makes him furious all of a sudden, for some reason he doesn't want Draco hurt. When she moves towards him, he swipes his paw at her hand, intent on paying her back. But finds himself thwarted.  
"Hey, none of that you little menace. Vicky just wants to help! And she is a good friend, so no scratching!"  
Draco seems honestly surprised at the attack, and so he looks at the well-known face for a while. Wide grey eyes, not guarded like they used to be, and a mouth with soft looking lips. Draco smiles at him and nods to Vicky again. The claws stay sheathed but he lays his ears back to show her his displeasure. The only one who was allowed to cause displeasure to Draco Malfoy was Harry Potter, and from the gentle care that he had received from Draco he wanted to observe further. Vicky has gentle hands as well he has to admit grudgingly, but her happy smile at Draco catches him off guard.  
"It looks good Dray. No infections to see."  
Draco makes her coffee and asks her to keep him company. It seems that he has to revise the opinion he has formed about her. They continue to talk softly and Draco feeds him scraps of ham. He listens closely to their conversation. But it is at a certain point that his interest is piqued specifically.  
 "Did you have a cat as a child?" she asks, and he wonders as well. Maybe there was a cat at home in Malfoy Manor that Draco missed while being in Hogwarts? Draco is silent for a while, but the smile on his face is sad when he answers.  
 "No, my father would not allow it. It wasn't dignified enough, you know just like being gay."  
And just like that, everything Harry had believed to know about Draco has come to a standstill. He stills completely in order not to miss anything else,  
"If your father wasn't dead already, sometimes I would happily kill him for you." She states what he feels, and Draco's laugh is a balm for his soul.  
"You are a wonderful friend you know Vicky?"  
He has to think about everything that he has learned during the last few hours. Vicky, as she is called, seems to be a good friend to Draco, which is astounding in itself, since she is quite clearly Muggle. And she has taken care of him as a cat, so she seems to like animals,  
"Yeah well, takes one to know one. Take care Draco, and don't work too hard!" she moves towards him, slowly to give him a chance to move away but he bunts his head against her hand and allows Mungo's petting.  
When she leaves Draco alone, he continues to stare into nothingness, until the next customers enter and the dance begins again.  
Phoenix lays in his basket and watches. Draco is an enigma to him, he seems sad about something but overall content with his lot in life. 

 

***

  
God, I am tired, but tonight I have to get the books in order. That was something new for me as well, the Muggle Tax system. I am just glad that I learned quickly, otherwise, I might have ended up in jail for something that I honestly did not know.  
Phoenix has spent the entire day in his basket watching the going ons, and apart from clawing at Vicky, he has been a very sweet cat. Maybe she had aggravated the stitches?  
"What do you say, are we heading home?" I have cleaned up, dropped the daily earnings at the bank, all the while with Phoenix in the sling. His constant purring is so soothing, I cannot repress a yawn.  
"You have no idea how much I would like to just go to bed. But alas the bookkeeping needs to be done." Phoenix meows as if he understands exactly what I am saying. But that is definitely too much interpretation.  
When I enter my home, I head straight to my little office and put Phoenix into the basket that I have carried back in my pocket. But he is restless, keeps meowing until I put one and one together and put him into the catloo. Once he is done with his business he meows again to be picked up and back into his basket.  
"It is nice not to be alone, Phoenix." For a long while no more sounds occur, other than my working and the steady purring of a content cat. I do make good progress, but I will not finish everything tonight.  
Come midnight, I am picking the basket up and settle it into the bedroom. I am sure Phoenix will be fine tonight in the basket, but he has other ideas. When I settle into bed, under the covers, I hear a plaintive meow, and it doesn't stop, in fact, it sounds like a cry for attention.  
"What? Can't you sleep in your basket? Do you want to get in bed with me again?" Peering down at the kitten, I am confronted with pleading green eyes, begging me to allow him to get warm. "Meow?"  
And I am such a sucker for the company that I lift him up carefully, put him next to me, and curl around him. I fall asleep to his steady purring, and the sound makes me happy.

 

***

  
He can't make heads or tails out of Draco Malfoy. The man looks right at home in this Muggle cafe. But why has he left everything behind? The trials have not stipulated anything more than a year of housearrest, after which Draco Malfoy had simply disappeared. Narcissa Malfoy had searched for her son for a while but stopped the regular visits to the Auror Office after two years.  
He has to admit that he forgot about the young man, but now that he is here, he wonders how that was ever possible. Draco is so vibrant, sweet and sexy. He is in trouble.  
Draco has been cleaning for a while now, the last customers are gone and he has a little tune on his lips. He packs him into the little sling and heads out, after closing shop. He doesn't quite understand where they are headed until Draco drops a money-pouch at a bank.  
"What do you say, are we heading home?" He yawns. "You have no idea how much I would like to just go to bed. But alas the bookkeeping needs to be done."  Looking at the tired face, he wonders where Draco takes the energy from. He has been up since six in the morning and it is now close to seven. Concentrating on numbers would be hell for him now, but he puts him into the basket and sits at the desk working diligently.  
"It is nice not to be alone," Draco's voice startles him from his revery. But he cannot ask "Then why are you?" so he settles for a soft meow. He doesn't disturb the hardworking young man until Draco drops the pen on his own.  
He moves them into the bedroom, but when he settles the basket onto the floor, he is not amused. Surely Draco cannot mean for him to sleep on the floor? He begins to meow, hoping that Draco has not yet fallen asleep. Apparently, luck is on his side, and Draco peers down at him from the bed. "What? Can't you sleep in your basket? Do you want to get in bed with me again?" If cats could smile he probably would, but so he settles for a pleading "Meow" instead. When Draco gives in and cuddles him close to his chest again, he cannot help but purr contentedly.  
This is what happiness feels like, and he wonders how long it will last.

 

***

  
  
He feels his body again for the first time in weeks. It is strange to be so large in Draco's flat, and he realizes with a start that he will have to leave soon. If not to say he should leave immediately, but he cannot leave like this, can't leave Draco like this. Not now, when he has found him and has realized that he is the part that fixes the hole that has been in his life.  
He transforms back and watches his own reflection in the mirror. The kitten is gone, he has returned to the tomcat he usually is. Of course, Draco will have figured out that something magical is going on. He has healed faster than a normal cat would have and he has grown faster as well. He just hopes that when he turns back in front of Draco he will not get kicked out immediately. His heart clenches at the thought of not seeing the blond man anymore.  
The lock turns and Draco enters his house. He swallows and steps up towards his companion.  
"Hey, Phoenix. You seem to be all healed again," Draco crouches down and scratches him softly underneath his chin. "Are you going to leave me now?" he sounds sad at the thought, and Harry feels his heart clenching again. He shakes his head and Draco stops the motion.  
"So you can understand me."  
A nod.  
"Are you an animagus?" Draco whispers and Harry hates how afraid he suddenly sounds, he nods nonetheless. Draco makes a step back. "Go on then, change back. I promise I am wandless and I won't curse you."  
Harry wills the change and finds himself standing in front of Draco naked as the day he is born. Right he had forgotten that his clothes have been obliterated in the attack, and early this morning he switched back so fast he didn't think about it.  
"Nice." Draco blurts it out before Harry can cover himself, and he cannot help it he begins to laugh helplessly "Oh Merlin  I am so sorry." He brings out in between peals of laughter, before grabbing a blanket and handing it Harry.  
"Please don't hex me for laughing." he wipes the tears from his eyes and Harry just stares at him.  
Yes, he should want to die from embarrassment, but Draco is simply beautiful when he laughs so openly.  
"Well laughter is better, than a hex and being yelled at." he brings out after a while and Draco sobers at that.  
"Maybe I will yell at you a little later. Now I am in shock. It is not every day that a naked Auror stands in my living room."  
Harry nods. "Can we sit down? I do owe you an explanation."  
Draco settles onto the chair, and Harry mourns the easy closeness that he had with Phoenix. If he will ever again feel this close to Draco he has to work for it.

 

***

  
There is something going on with Phoenix. He is healing a lot faster than a normal cat would, and I am sure that I felt a broken bone when I found him, also I could swear that he is growing at an abnormal rate. I have had him only for two months and he is almost a grown tomcat. I hope that because I took care of him and treated him kindly, the wizard hiding behind the cat does not want me any harm.  
I have my wand not with me most of the time, and I barely use it for my own anymore. But I will miss Phoenix. He has grown on me and talking to him at night, feeling his warm weight next to me, it has made me aware of the loneliness that I have simply accepted most of the time.  
When I enter the house, he stands there, as if he has been waiting for me. And I want to know, so I will gather my courage and address what is on my mind. The worst that can happen? A wizard has made fun of me for two months. But he hasn't wanted to hurt me so far, so I just hope for the best.  
"Hey, Phoenix. You seem to be all healed again," I crouch down and scratch him, as he loves. "Are you going to leave me now?" and there it is, Phoenix shakes his head, in a very decisive manner.  
"So you can understand me." the cat definitely nods at that.  
"Are you an animagus?" I whisper, my voice suddenly was gone and Phoenix nods again, there is nothing for it. I am taking a step back and try to encourage my visitor to reveal themselves. "Go on then, change back. I promise I am wandless and I won't curse you."  
I admit that I am not prepared to have a naked man stand in the living room suddenly. It is a fine specimen that I am looking at. "Nice" escapes me before I realize just who I am looking at, and I am shocked into helpless laughter.  
I just oggled Harry Potter and that quite shamelessly.  
"Oh, Merlin!  I am so sorry" I grab the nearest blanket and hand it to him, of course, he is naked, I found his clothes bloodied and torn on my doorstep! "Please don't hex me for laughing!"  
There is a flush of pink on Harry's cheeks and I can see quite clearly how far the blush reaches on his torso.  
"Well, laughter is better, than a hex and being yelled at." Harry sounds a little gruff at that  
"Maybe I will yell at you a little later. Now I am in shock. It is not every day that a naked Auror stands in my living room."  
Harry nods. "Can we sit down? I do owe you an explanation."  
I quite agree with him, and even though I would love to sit close to him, as we always did during the last two months, I am choosing the chair, to keep some proper distance between us. He looks a little disappointed at that, which I note with interest. But first I would like to hear, why he has not revealed himself earlier, and where we are going from this.

  
  
***

  
  
"Where do I start?" Harry wonders for a moment. "I got injured in a raid. Badly as you had seen. My wand was gone and my emergency portkeys had malfunctioned and dropped me in London, not at St Mungo's. I dragged myself towards the hospital when my body gave out. My magic must have decided to turn me into my animagus form since that is smaller and doesn't bleed out as quickly, but since I was so weak it turned me into a kitten. You found me and cared for me. I couldn't turn back until I was fully healed. Which actually was this morning, I didn't just want to walk out on you, so I turned back. Since you had figured out I was an Animagus, I didn't want to lead you on. So here I am at your mercy."  Somehow the last bit sounds more playful than he wanted, but it is the truth.  
"So, you were not looking for me?" Draco looks at him with wide grey eyes.  
"No, I was surprised that you were so kind to me, but you are not wanted for anything in the magical world." Harry smiles."If I may be so bold in asking, why did you disappear?"  
Draco is silent for a long time after that question, and Harry feels that he has overstepped a boundary.  
"Yaxley contacted me, after the trial. He told me that I would soon be dead if I didn't disappear." Draco shakes his head. "I wasn't willing to take a chance, and left the wizarding world."  
"He threatened you?" Harry asks "And you didn't trust the Aurors to protect you."  
"They had not managed to protect Theo either." Draco points out softly and Harry is forced to think back on the first case he had worked on.  
"You are right. But it was Yaxley, who killed Theo." Harry whispers.  
"What?" Draco turns pale.  
"We arrested Yaxley, a year ago, and under Veritaserum, he confessed that he wanted access to the Malfoy fortune. So he killed Theodore Nott, made it look like a case of retribution against former Deatheaters in order to convince you that you had to disappear. He also confessed that he had intercepted all owls to you from your mother."  
"And I thought she was upset with me."  
"No, she gave up after two years, when we couldn't do anything for her. The vaults in Gringotts indicated that you were still alive. So there was nothing the Aurors could do." Harry sighs, Draco won't like what he has to say next "Yaxley tried to imperius her, to get to the money. Which is why we arrested him in the first place."  
"But is she alright?" the question shows how much Draco still cares for his mother.  
"Yes she is well, and I am sure that she would love to hear from you. I understand if you don't want to give up what you have built here for you, but I am sure that she will understand that as well."  
Harry shivers.  
"Shit, you must be cold. Wait a second I will get you some clothes." Draco jumps up and runs out of the room.  
When he comes back, Harry takes the offered garments thankfully and steps outside to get dressed. He has to alter the clothes a little since Draco is considerably slimmer than he is, but thankfully his magic is strong enough again to make do.  
"I guess my robes were beyond salvaging?" He smiles at Draco to indicate that he is only jesting.  
"Yes it was a pile of bloody rags, to be honest, I didn't even recognize it as robes. Otherwise, I might have made the connection earlier, that my pet was an animagus."  
"Don't worry. I am glad I got to spend time with you. It gave me an opportunity to see you as you are, and not as who you thought you had to be." Harry smiles again.  
"Right." Silence falls between them, but it is not uncomfortable. Instead, Harry feels as much as home as he hasn't in ages. How can he leave all of this behind?  
How can he leave Draco - whom he has grown to love.

  
***

  
I admit that I am only listening with half an ear when Harry begins to talk because I focus more on his facial expression, and he can't fake the warmth directed at me. One sentence really catches my attention though.  
"I didn't want to lead you on. So here I am at your mercy" He sounds playful, is he flirting with me? But other issues are more pressing at the moment.  
"So, you were not looking for me?" I feel relieved that Harry hasn't been here to spy on me.  
"No, I was surprised that you were so kind to me, but you are not wanted for anything in the magical world." Harry's smile does funny things to my insides and his next question catches me a little off guard "If I may be so bold in asking, why did you disappear?"  
I need to gather my thoughts for a moment, but when Harry looks as if he regrets asking I tell him what happened shortly after my trial.  
"Yaxley contacted me, after the trial. He told me that I would soon be dead if I didn't disappear." I am still not sure why I just bolted, but then again, people had not been kind and I always protected myself. "I wasn't willing to take a chance, and left the wizarding world."  
"He threatened you?" Harry is in full Auror mode now "And you didn't trust the Aurors to protect you."  
"They had not managed to protect Theo either." It still hurts to think about my friend. He hadn't deserved to die this way, and I miss him.  
"You are right. But it was Yaxley, who killed Theo." Harry is very quiet all of a sudden.  
"What?" I am sure I just lost all colour, and Harry continues to talk.  
"We arrested Yaxley, a year ago, and under veritaserum, he confessed that he wanted access to the Malfoy fortune. So he killed Theodore Nott, made it look like a case of retribution against former Deatheaters in order to convince you that you had to disappear. He also confessed that he had intercepted all owls to you from your mother."  
"And I thought she was upset with me."  
"No, she gave up after two years, when we couldn't do anything for her. The vaults in Gringotts indicated that you were still alive. So there was nothing the Aurors could do." Harry sighs,"Yaxley tried to imperius her, to get to the money. Which is why we arrested him in the first place."  
"But is she alright?" I am so relieved that Mother searched for me and Harry's next words warm me from within.  
"Yes she is well, and I am sure that she would love to hear from you. I understand if you don't want to give up what you have built here for you, but I am sure that she will understand that as well."  
Harry shivers and I feel horrible, how inconsiderate of me to leave him cold!  
"Shit, you must be cold. Wait a second I will get you some clothes."  Gathering some garments quickly, I berate myself.  
"I guess my robes were beyond salvaging?" when he comes back in refitted clothes, he smiles at me again.  
"Yes it was a pile of bloody rags, to be honest, I didn't even recognize it as robes. Otherwise, I might have made the connection earlier, that my pet was an animagus." How I could have been that oblivious will keep me up for a while longer, but I cannot regret the times that we have spent cuddled up together.  
"Don't worry. I am glad I got to spend time with you. It gave me an opportunity to see you as you are, and not as who you thought you had to be."  Harry voices my very thoughts, so there is not much left for me to say.  
"Right."  Silence falls between us, and I am too much of a coward to say what I want.  
Because I don't want him to leave.

 

***

  
  
A whole month has passed before he manages to come back to the familiar cafe. He wanted to come back much sooner than he has. But between being counted as missing for months and his friends insisting on checking on his health. More time has passed than he had anticipated. He has missed Draco more than he could believe possible at first, but sleeping alone still is a struggle.  
He half considers to just turn back into his cat form, since that would be so much easier, but then again he doesn't want Draco to just love the cat. The month apart and the dreadful nights alone, his constant turning towards someone who is no longer there, have made one thing very clear to him. He needs to know if Draco would consider him as a partner, else he might go completely crazy.  
The doorbell jingles softly when he enters, and the enticing aroma of coffee and freshly baked scones waver over him. Draco looks up, with a friendly greeting on his face, which morphs into a glow of happiness that makes his heart stumble.  
"I am sorry I am so late" He blurts out, just when Draco steps around the bar very close to him as if to pull him into a hug.  
"You are here" Draco sounds a bit breathless and Harry notes that his cheeks are red and his pupils are blown wide. "I missed you, and there is no one in the cafe anyway."  
"So I can hug you?" Harry is still not quite sure where they stand.  
"Duh," Draco grins "We slept together for weeks, and now you get shy?"  
Harry laughs and when he pulls Draco close to his chest, he feels happy. Daring, he kisses Draco's forehead and feels the other man sigh happily.  
"Can we get coffee and talk? But I have to warn you, I slept horribly without you, so I might fall asleep on you."  
  
"We can - we have all the time in the world now."  
  



End file.
